Saturday, January 26, 2013

Having recently moved from Nevada an Ohio Snow Day comes too fast.... regardless of when it arrives!!!! Our Snow Day landed at the outset of the new year...... kids everywhere were overjoyed with the gift of no school and fluffy snow. I on the other hand longed for my warm memories of Las Vegas. As I searched for comfort I quickly discovered a brew within my stash that reminded me of those blessed hot days in the desert valley..... a store brand no less.

Safeway is a rather large western grocery store that dots towns in Nevada, California, and Arizona.... in fact I have even seen these stores in other states including Delaware. While visiting a Safeway back in the west I discovered yet another store brand, "refreshe" not sure what they were going for by departing from our modern English spelling but they get an "A" for unique name....

As my mind pondered the warm memories of the desert sun I chilled my store brew in the 6 inches of snow just outside my front door. After an hour the brew was ready for review......

As store brands go this one lived up to its name, it was rather refreshing during this cold winter day. It was just what I needed to pass the time between shoveling my back porch and my front sidewalk.... granted there is just about a million things I would rather do than shovel this cold wet stuff but drinking root beer was well on the top of the list. The brew was rather sweet with a splash of vanilla creaminess but mostly it covered my palate with fluffy flakes of root beer extract. It was a solid root beer, no real frills, cheap, tasty...... far better than snow... on any day but Christmas!!!! 2 Frosty Mugs

Monday, January 14, 2013

It has been far too long since my last post. In addition to this
transgression, I have neglected a promise to review the "Purely Natural"
root beer from my friends at Thomas Kemper. Adam sent this to me because
he knows how much of a dedicated fan of TK I am. He scored this limited
(and no longer produced brew) from our pal Eric.
I, of course will get to the details of this review later but will
continue on with explaining myself for yet another moment.

There are reasons for my recent and long termed departure. First and
foremost, I had been previously occupied with writing my dissertation
which tied up about 98.789% of my time for about a year or so. When Adam
had given me the bottle, it was April. I thought I had the time but I
guess from the present date, I apparently did not. That is the end of the
excuses. Here is the reason and the review.

This stuff was quite possibly the WORST (with the exception of the Amish yeast-brew) I have ever had. Thank all things holy that they do not make
it anymore. Seriously. It not only threatened my most esteemed opinion of Thomas Kemper (don't worry guys we're cool), but nearly turned me away from
Root Beer altogether. Well, that and a little red headed boy's obsession
with Orange soda.

This stuff was fruity in a kind of vile and disgusting way. The only
thing purely natural about this stuff is that it appeared to have
"naturally" passed through someone's urinary tract without the aid of
any flavor improving chemicals. There was an aftertaste that lasted
longer than it took for the rest of it to go down the drain ( I gave it
to the kids).

After consuming this Root Beer, I entered a sort of fugue. I drank the
last of my home brew and perhaps made another at the request of my
children; but the distancing of me and the fabled concoction had begun.
It was official, I was turned off. And it would take a seemingly divine
intervention to restart the engine.

Enter my little man. My four year old son loves him some Orange Soda. He
believes in its power to maintain the redness/orangeness of his (and
my) hair. Since my brief and unholy encounter had struck my RB senses
numb, I had began cheating on my sweet lady. He and I began having more
than our fair share of the sinful citrus nectar.

Time passed, we relocated and the home-keg was drained and packed away.
We moved to central Virginia and I began having a tryst with the
fountain of Orange Fanta in the lunchroom at the new workplace. Then,
one evening after class, I had stopped in to get something to drink at a
local gas station when I walked into the door, I saw and heard an old
friend. A 20oz bottle of the standard was trying its old lines. It was time I gave in. I took a drink on the way to the counter and before I
had gotten out to the car, I threw the empty bottle away. I had never
chugged and loved so sweetly, so quickly, so perfectly. A belch or ten
later and I was back off the wagon.

The boy still likes his Orange soda. That may never change. I still like
one myself every now and then. But only when I am lonely. I tried a
local taste at a microbrew (more on that soon). And soon I will get a
water filter so I can get back to brewing my own. Since I am writing
less these days, I will get back on the stick.

Here is the lowdown: Gross, .5 mug for no HFCS, .5 for glass and .5 for an old friend, TK. Don't change guys, it ain't worth it.

A Love of Root Beer

Follow along as the Rootbeer Brothers conduct Root Beer Reviews from around the country and add plenty of commentary concerning the "World of Root Beer" so sit back, grab a frosty mug and pour yourself some of the smoothest blog on the net.

Since Charles Hires first started selling his bottled carbonated root beer back in 1876, life in America has tasted so much smoother. In appreciation of one of America's very own beverages, we intend to explore the tastes, history and culture of root beer. From the frosty mug to the dark long-necked bottle may you enjoy this most tasteful journey of dark brewed indulgence.

Jeff, Adam, Mike, Ray, Marc & Joe are by no means experts in the subject but rather full-fledged enthusiasts who have enjoyed passing bottles of root beer back and forth from all parts of the country. Although not biological siblings, the Rootbeer Brothers are bound by an equal love of this most inviting American soft drink. So pop a top and sip some of the most freshly brewed blog on the web.

Thank you for visiting and feel free to leave any suggestions, comments, or critiques of your own.